Islam Makhachev
Sambo world champion who ruled two UFC divisions
- Born
- October 27, 1991, Makhachkala, Dagestan ASSR, Soviet Union
- Nationality
Russia- Height
- 178 cm (5′10″)
- Reach
- 178 cm (5′10″)
- Stance
- Southpaw
- Style
- Sambo control grappler
- Weight
- Lightweight, Welterweight
- Active
- 2010–present
- Status
- Active · age 34
The record
Professional MMA. Reigning UFC welterweight champion; his 17-fight win streak is the longest in UFC history. record
The story
slam Makhachev, a 2016 combat sambo world champion from Makhachkala, Dagestan, lost once early in his UFC career, a 2015 knockout by Adriano Martins, and has not lost since. He submitted Charles Oliveira with an arm-triangle choke in 2022 to win the lightweight title, beat Alexander Volkanovski twice, and submitted Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano for four defenses. In 2025 he vacated that belt, moved up and outpointed Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title, and in August 2026 he defended it against Ian Machado Garry, stretching his streak to 17 straight wins, the longest in UFC history. His game is sambo control: trips and body locks from the clinch, heavy top pressure, and southpaw kicks and feints on the feet.
Tap a technique with an arrow to learn how it works.
- UFC lightweight champion (2022–2025, 4 successful defenses)
- UFC welterweight champion (2025–present, 1 successful defense)
- Combat sambo world champion (2016)
Defining fights
- 2015LOSSvs Adriano Martins (KO R1, only career loss)
- 2022WINvs Charles Oliveira (arm-triangle choke R2, won UFC lightweight title)
- 2023WINvs Alexander Volkanovski (head kick KO R1, title defense)
- 2024WINvs Dustin Poirier (brabo choke R5, title defense)
- 2025WINvs Jack Della Maddalena (UD, won UFC welterweight title)
Pin the hips to the fence, lock a body lock and trip, then keep the opponent down while you hunt the arm-triangle. Grappling and MMA students can drill body-lock trips into top control and arm-triangle setups.
